Caging the Phoenix
by RedKaddict
Summary: -Phoenyx Flight 2- The Phoenix Operation fiasco was only partially resolved. In searching for his previous cellmate, Clark learns that caging his inner beast is not a problem that he alone deals with. Sequel to Despair's Edge. ON HIATUS.
1. Missing

Title: Caging the Phoenix  
Author: RedKaddict  
Genres: Drama, Angst  
Summary: The Phoenix Operation fiasco was only partially resolved. In searching for his previous cellmate, Clark learns that caging his inner beast is not a problem that he alone deals with.

A/N: Welcome to the second installment of the Phoenyx Flight saga! As previously implied, I have decided to turn my story, Despair's Edge, into a full-fledged series. This is the sequel to that incredibly well-received story, and, as you can probably already guess, is a crossover. If you couldn't guess, for whatever reason, then just forget I said anything and enjoy this story as if it were strictly Smallville.

I do not have a beta for this story, and, not to seem rude or cocky or anything, but frankly, I don't think I need one. Besides, Tiana (who usually betas my stories) is way too busy with other things currently to bother with this. So, if there are any typos or problems with this story, you'll have to forgive me. Hopefully you like it anyway!

**

* * *

**

Prologue

_I ran. I bolted, because I was scared. I'd done it again. I'd caused destruction and death. She tried to help. She tried to stop it. But, once again, her powers are on the fritz. She couldn't stop me. No one can._

_I opened my eyes, and the sky fell down on top of me. I opened my eyes, and the little shack in the woods we'd been staying in was gone. I opened my eyes, and then I felt her pulse stop._

_Everywhere I go, I cause death and destruction. Now I have nowhere to go. So I just wander around out here, with no clue where I am. Blind and helpless, I stumble around, searching, searching for some solace. But none comes._

_It's cold now. Cold and damp. I've been sitting here for several hours, maybe even a full day. Am I out of the sun? Is it safe? I can't be sure. But for once there is no one around to hurt if I'm wrong._

_So I open my eyes._

**Chapter 1: Missing**

The tractor emitted one more plaintive groan and settled decidedly on the barn floor with a harsh _clank_. Clark gave an exasperated sigh as Lana giggled, watching from her perch on a nearby stack of hay bales. "Does the tractor _always_ give you this much trouble?" she asked, still smiling.

He shrugged, straightening up and dusting his hands off. "No, not usually. Got a lot on my mind, I guess."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

There was a pause as he tried to collect his thoughts into something remotely comprehensible. "That man back at the lab," he began. "Nobody ever found him, or the woman who busted him out. I just wonder what happened to him."

"And you wonder if, maybe, he was like you?" She hopped off the hay bales and slipped her arms around him, pulling him close. He returned the embrace, wondering how it was that she seemed to be able to see right through him. The incident with the Phoenix Operation had given her his powers. Had it also linked their minds?

_You would know if your minds were linked._ Again, that tingling feeling in the back of his head. Lana glanced up at him, sensing his uneasiness. "Clark? What is it?"

"I don't know. I… thought I heard something."

_You have a strong mind. Just like him._

"There it is again." He turned around, and there she was, standing in the barn doorway. Waiting for him.

Even though he knew she could take care of herself, he gently pushed Lana behind him. "Who are you?" he demanded.

There was no answer. The woman stepped forward slowly, cautiously, gauging the situation just as much as he was. It was clear she felt like a caged animal here, but she tried hard not to let it show. What did show was the pain in her emerald eyes. "He's gone," she sobbed. "He's gone, and I can't find him. I can't find him! He's closed the link. He won't let me in. Please, you have to help me find him." _Please._

Lana peered around Clark to get a better view. "Who's missing?"

The woman still did not answer. Her pleading gaze remained on Clark the entire time. She was still waiting for him. "The man from the lab," he answered slowly. "Am I right? Is that who's missing?" At last the woman nodded in response.

A car pulled up the driveway and parked in front of the barn. The woman went into a panic, glancing around for somewhere to hide. "They're coming for me," she whispered frantically. "Please don't let them find me." Spotting the loft stairs, she darted for them, leaving Clark and Lana standing bewildered on the floor.

"Sorry, am I interrupting anything?"

They turned to see Lex Luthor standing in the doorway where the woman had been. Both were reluctant to say anything, so both fell silent for a moment. Finally, Lana took control of the situation. "No, not at all. Did you, um… Did you need something, Lex?"

If he could tell that she was lying, he didn't show it. "Actually, I came to talk to you guys about something. A source in Washington has informed me that there could be some complications regarding the Phoenix Operation incident."

Clark's eyes narrowed. "They didn't buy the story, did they?"

"Clark, it's been a full month. If they weren't going to buy it, we would have heard long before now. The complications have to do with your friend at the lab."

"What about him?"

Lex pulled a folder from behind his back. "It turns out that he _was_ linked to the murder case in New York. There's an institute in Westchester that, officially, is a school for special, or _gifted_, children. Unofficially, it is believed to be a refuge and training ground for mutants. A couple months ago, one of the teachers – your mom's friend, I believe – reported one of their staff missing. They'd been previously harassed by LuthorCorp regarding the Phoenix Operation, so naturally they suspected he'd been abducted."

"Lex, we've been over all this before. What's this got to do with that guy from the lab?"

"I went over all the research from the Phoenix Operation before it was destroyed. There was something in there about some sight complications. They put it down as an eye condition, but I'm putting my money on some kind of ability that makes it difficult for him to go around without having his eyes covered. Considering the condition in which he left, that would make any progress from the lab extremely slow, even with someone else's help. Which means he's probably still around this area."

Clark smiled slightly. "Sounds like you had some help getting all this information."

"Well, Chloe _did_ have a hand in deducing the nature of this guy's powers. But, to get to the point, the school has somehow been able to locate the general whereabouts of their missing staff."

"They think he's still around here?" Lex nodded. "How are we going to find him?"

"They've already taken care of that. They're sending a team down to search the area around Smallville."

"So, what are the complications?" Lana asked.

"This man was pronounced dead. The fact that he is still alive, and that he was seemingly rescued by the same woman who was supposed to have killed him, and who is herself supposed to be dead, raises a lot of questions as to the actual intentions of the Phoenix Operation. They might come here asking questions, since you were involved. The sooner we find him, the sooner this mess can be sorted out."

* * *

She didn't normally act like this. But she had killed all those people. That was why they were looking for her, it must be. And they wouldn't listen to her when she told them that it hadn't been her, that she had not been in control of her actions, that she would _never_ do such a thing.

_He_ would listen. _He_ would understand. _He_ would comfort her and console her, and assure her that she was innocent. _He_ would forgive her, even though he had been one of her victims. Because _he_ understood.

If only she could find him.

The sound of footsteps on the loft stairs interrupted her thoughts and made her withdraw farther into her corner.

As soon as Clark reached the top of the stairs, he crossed the room and knelt in front of her. "Your friends in New York are sending a team. They'll help us find him."

She shook her head. "They won't help us. They'll want to kill me. Then they'll want to find him, so they can take him away from me again. No, we have to find him first, so he can tell them that it wasn't my fault."

"What wasn't your fault?" He toned his voice down as much as he could, trying to calm her.

"All those people," she began, her eyes welling with tears. "All those people dead because of me. They're dead because I let her kill them. I wasn't strong enough to stop her. I wasn't strong enough… Only he is strong enough to stop her. Only he understands that it wasn't me."

Suddenly he remembered where he'd seen her face before. "Alcatraz. You were the one that destroyed everything. You killed those people at Alcatraz, didn't you? You're the Phoenix."

"It wasn't me!" she screamed. "I didn't do it! I had no control! _It wasn't me!_" She broke down crying, repeating the phrases over and over to herself between sobs. "It wasn't me… It… wasn't me. I didn't do it… I couldn't have… I couldn't control it… Wasn't strong enough…" She paused and looked at him, bringing a hand up to touch his forehead. Her voice had sunk to a low whisper. "You have a strong mind. Just like him. It's hard to see… But you understand, don't you?"

A series of brief impressions flashed through his mind. Imprisonment. Loneliness. Loss of control. Regret. Guilt. "I _do_ know what it's like," he said slowly. "I know what it's like to lose control of your actions. To see what you're doing and not be able to stop it. To feel suppressed by all the limitations life gives you, but to feel guilty about forcefully removing those restrictions, knowing that you had not control. I've almost killed people before. I know what it's like."

"Then you know why I can't let them find me." Relief flowed freely into her voice.

"No, Phoenix. As much as you hate to admit it, it was still you. You have to explain to them that you weren't in your right mind. Believe me, you'll feel better about it."

"They'll think I'm going crazy. That I can't control my powers." Her voice lowered to a dangerous hiss as her eyes darkened. "They'll cage me again!" The floor beneath them began to rumble as various objects shuddered and began levitating. The lead box floated off the shelf behind him and positioned itself between them. "Your mind is difficult to read. But not impossible. If you aren't going to help me, then you must be destroyed!" The lid flipped open, revealing the chunk of meteor inside.

The green rock glowed as the radiation hit him full on. He stumbled back against the couch, gasping for breath. "Phoenix, stop! You can't do this. You don't want to be a murderer, I know you don't. I'll help you find him, I promise."

"Why? Because I threatened you? Because I'll kill you if you don't? If that's the case, I might as well kill you anyway."

Waves of nausea and dizziness swept over him. "No. Because I… need to talk to him. I need to ask him… about what happened… at the Phoenix Operation." The room spun around his head, and suddenly the floor came up to meet him.

And then it stopped. He looked up to see the closed lead box making its way back to its shelf. "Help me find him," she hissed. "Help me convince him that I am not a murderer. Or else, I _will_ kill you. Do you understand?"

* * *

A/N: Make sure you review! I'll post the next chapter soon. 


	2. Searching

A/N: All right, so we now all know that this is a Smallville/X-Men crossover, so we can all stop pretending that we don't... :) Anyway, congrats to Miss Kryptonite for being my first reviewer for this story! I hope you all enjoy this next chapter, and I'd like to know how many of you can recognize the guy that Chloe meets!

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 2: Searching**

They watched cautiously from the barn as the large black jet landed in the field near the house. Clark had given them their instructions just moments before. _Stall them until we leave_. Lana turned to Lex. "How easy do you think it'll be to keep them here?"

"I have no idea. Let's just hope that none of them is a mind reader."

The ramp to the aircraft lowered to the ground, and a small team stepped out. They were a strange-looking group, to say the least. Though most of them appeared normal, there were some who you could tell were mutants. There were maybe six of them altogether, two of which were female, and they all wore uniforms composed entirely of black leather. The older woman, obviously their leader, took in her surroundings before climbing the fence and walking toward them.

"Lex Luthor?" she said as she came up to them, the rest of the team trailing behind her. "I'm Ororo Munroe. We spoke on the phone."

* * *

Juggling her research papers in one hand and an overfull mug of hot coffee in the other, she didn't see him walk right in front of her. Oddly, he didn't seem to see her, either. As they collided, the hot liquid sloshed out of her mug and splashed her hand, causing her to drop both the mug and her load of papers in surprise.

When he bent down to help with the now-soggy pages, she finally noticed him. They both apologized several times, and the phrase "I didn't see you there" was a frequent choice of words.

Finally, she got a good enough look at him to recognize him. He was the new transfer student at Smallville High. "I believe proper introductions are in order," he said as he helped her up. "Hi, I'm Alex Blanding."

"Chloe Sullivan." She smiled as she shook his outstretched hand. "Thanks for the save. You're the new transfer student, aren't you?"

He smiled rather sheepishly. "Guilty as charged, I'm afraid." He ran a hand through his short, blonde hair. "I'm not sure how to say this without it sounding forward, but since I'm kinda new around here, maybe you could give me the tour? You know, show me around, keep me from bumping into anyone else by accident?"

"I think I can manage something like that," she laughed. "But only if you'll buy me another cappuccino."

* * *

The cave was only dimly lit by the sunlight filtering between the few cracks in the stone ceiling. The sound of dripping water could be heard echoing back and forth against the walls, while a cool breeze flowed through the twisting tunnels and rock formations. It was peaceful, if not completely silent.

The Phoenix ran her hand along one of the many ancient paintings on the wall. They'd begun their search in the woods above the cavern before descending into the darkness, and as they searched she told him everything.

"After Liberty Island, everything changed," she was saying now. "My powers seemed to be increasing exponentially. I tried to control it, and for the most part I think I succeeded. But then there was Alkali Lake…"

Clark took the opportunity to scan the immediate area with his x-ray vision. "What happened at Alkali Lake?" he prodded when she didn't continue.

"The dam burst. The jet had lost power. They were all going to die. I had to save them." She paused again to examine one of the paintings, continuing on in a distracted tone. "I should have died that day. But I didn't. And when I woke up… _she_ was in control."

The drawing she had stopped in front of, he noticed, was one resembling two men with streams of fire shooting from their eyes. "Why did Lionel Luthor mistake your boyfriend for me?"

"He didn't tell you?"

"He told me that he was like me, and that we get our energy from the sun, or something like that. But I thought I was the only one of my kind left."

"You may be the only one of _your_ kind left, but he is not the only one of his." She pointed to the drawing. "See that circle? It represents the sun. The Phoenix Operation was based largely on the old Native American legends of a man named Naman coming down from the stars in a rain of fire, who would eat our sun and shoot its fire from his eyes." She indicated the two figures in the drawing. "The legend also told of another who would also eat the sun and shoot its fire from his eyes. But he is clearly not Naman, for only Naman has the strength of ten men." Here she pointed to another drawing farther down the wall, this one of the first figure lifting many smaller figures.

"Wait, start over. I'm confused. What does any of this have to do with your boyfriend?"

She smiled at his remark and placed a hand on the drawing. "He's a mutant, one with a rather unique power. He absorbs solar energy and converts it into a concussive force, which emanates from his eyes. For this reason, Luthor was not sure at first whether he was the alien, or if it was you."

There was silence between them for a few moments as Clark continued to stare at the drawing. "What's that smudge down there?"

"It's a bird engulfed in flames. A phoenix." She sighed, but whether in frustration at his apparent lack of perception, or in some unseen pain, he couldn't tell. "It's me."

A slight sound in the following silence caught his attention. "Did you hear that?" She shook her head, glancing around the cave. Turning away, he wandered down the dark tunnel, waiting for the sound to come again. The sunlight, he noticed, was much scarcer in this area, the cracks being several feet apart.

He had gone about twenty paces before he heard it again, much closer. Something was moaning in the darkness. "There's someone here!" he shouted over his shoulder. Peering into the shadows between two rocks, he saw it. It was a sight he didn't think he'd ever forget from his short time at the lab. A small reddish gleam, like a tiny flame flickering in the dark, fighting to stay alive while the shadows around it threaten to snuff it out. A quick scan with his x-ray vision confirmed it. There was someone there.

Before he knew it, the Phoenix was there, reaching in to pull the disheveled figure out of the darkness. If possible, he looked even worse than when Clark had last seen him. "Wha' are you doin' here?" he choked as she half-dragged him out of his dismal corner.

"Looking for you." She held him close for several moments, almost afraid to let go lest he disappear again. "Don't you _ever_ scare me like that again, hear?" He nodded, shivering in her embrace. "Clark, help me get him outside."

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review!


	3. You Killed My Brother

A/N: Sorry about the long wait on this one. And sorry it sucks so badly. I've finally got a solid plot, though, so it'll get better. Remember to review!

**

* * *

**

Chapter 3: You Killed My Brother

Chloe stared hard at her alien friend. Once or twice, she tried to form words, but no sound came from her mouth save an astonished squeak. Her glance shifted back and forth between Clark and the woman seated on the old couch in the loft.

The odd silence wasn't helped by the young man standing awkwardly at the landing below her, whom she hadn't yet had the chance to introduce. Obviously he didn't understand why she'd stopped dead upon reaching the loft – which, by the way, had caused him to crash into her, and was why he had retreated to a safe distance on the landing – or why she could only stare speechlessly at the red-head and squeak at the other guy.

"_The_ Phoenix?" Chloe finally managed to shriek. "The Alcatraz Phoenix?! Clark, tell me I'm not seeing things!"

"Chloe…" he warned. That look in her eyes was not easy to miss. Reporter mode was taking over.

"How did the_ Phoenix_ end up in your _barn_?"

"Chloe?"

"Clark, this is big news! Seriously, she killed… like, hundreds of people back there, not to mention her own _boyfriend_. She's supposed to be _dead_…"

"Chloe! Can I talk to you downstairs please?" He grabbed her by the arm and led her, gently but firmly, down the stairway to the barn floor.

"I'll… just wait up here," Alex called after them. He cast a nervous glance at Phoenix and wondered how the heck he ended up in such a mess as this…

As soon as they were out of earshot, Clark let Chloe shake her arm free of his grip. "Chloe, you're not helping right now."

An exasperated sigh was all she managed for several seconds. "This… This is the biggest front page story I've ever seen, and all you can say is, 'You're not helping'? What's the big deal?"

"This is more than just a story. There's something bigger going on here, and I need to figure out what it is."

"He's right." Both turned to see Lex and Lana returning from the house. Lex was wearing a rather grim expression. "Did you find him?" he asked, keeping his voice just above a whisper.

Clark nodded. "Yeah, he was down in the caves. Lex, it's the same guy. I can't let them take him until I get some answers."

"Clark, we agreed that the sooner this man was found, the better."

"I know. But this man _knows_ something. And he's on those paintings on the cave walls. How do you explain that?"

A look of revelation crossed Chloe's face. "Wait, this is the same guy from the Phoenix Operation? He's _here_?"

Lex nodded. "Yes. And he absolutely _must_ be returned to the staff of the Westchester school as soon as possible. Preferably before questions start being asked that cannot be answered."

The city of Metropolis was abuzz with the constant noise of its various inhabitants going to and from various work places, performing various errands and activities. In one particular office, in one particular building, Lionel Luthor was holding a conference with three of the most dangerous people currently in the state. All were completely oblivious of the teeming masses below. "I assume we have a deal then?" Lionel finished.

One man – the youngest of the group, with small, glittering eyes and a well-kept shock of dark hair – pondered the question with a serious expression on his smooth face. "So… If I can keep her subdued until he comes, I do what I like with her afterwards?"

Luthor grinned, his eyes gleaming. "I assure you, Dr. Crane, you will be permitted to tamper and play with her mind to your heart's content, so long as you keep her from escaping until I am through with her. While you, Dr. Osborne," he continued as he turned to a slightly older man with a faintly crazed look in his eye. "You are to continue your work on our Supersoldier serum. I want it finished by the time our… guest arrives."

"And my job would be…?"

As he turned to the final member of the group, Lionel put on his most malicious smile. "Your job, Miss Frost, is to lure her here. By any means necessary, I might add."

There was no emotion shown on the young blonde's face as she turned her bright blue eyes on him. "And my payment?" she asked in her thick British accent.

"Why, the little brat, of course," came the reply, with no hesitation. "As soon as we're finished with him, you may do with him as you please." He paused and met the gaze of each, making sure he had their full attention. "Remember, my friends: discretion and prudence are the keys to our success."

Alex stared blankly at his hands in an attempt to avoid eye contact with the woman sitting in front of him. He didn't make it a habit to watch the news on a regular basis, but even he knew who the Phoenix was. Though he got his information from a slightly different source.

He'd been to the funeral, heard his parents tell him how sorry they were countless times, and had the box of personal items delivered to his house. But he still refused to believe it. He was pretty sure sibling death was something you felt, not something you were told.

As he watched absently, his hands began to glow softly with a faint golden color. Swirling energy began to form on his palms, seeming to emanate from within. His blue eyes sparked with the same golden hue as a third swirl of energy formed on his chest. For what seemed like an eternity, he allowed the energy to churn and pulse before closing his fists and extinguishing it.

"Impressive light show." The voice caused him to finally glance up at the Phoenix. "Tell me, can you do anything more with it than just glow?" Her tone was not one of mockery, but of genuine interest. This only served to annoy him.

"Wouldn't _you_ like to know?" he hissed, successfully keeping most of the nervous tremor out of his voice.

"Pretty big talk from someone who's so scared," she shot back calmly.

He clenched his fists tighter. "I'm not scared."

There was a pause as she regarded him silently, probing him gently with her mind. "Why so angry at me, little one?"

"You killed my brother."

* * *

A/N: Yeah... sorry it's short, too...


End file.
